In the words of Paul the apostle, "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Hello! We pray this note finds you in the midst of God's blessings.
Recording update: Closer has began laying down plans to record their first album at the Missouri Baptist Recording Studios in St. Louis, Missouri during May of 1998, with an anticipated release date of August 30, 1998. We are so excited about this, we can hardly contain ourselves! The tenative working title of the album is, "To Jesus." We will be doing some gospel classics, some new favorites, and some original material written by us on this project! Check out our Album News link where there is a detailed description of our premier release. It includes all the news you may want to know about it, and maybe alot you don't. Either way, come and visit it!
Closer has recently been involved with two definitive concerts, opening for some of the biggest names in both southern gospel and contemporary christian music alike. In November of `97, we opened for the beloved Kingsmen at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. This was a big treat for us because to close the concert, the Kingsmen's Parker Jonathan asked us to come back on stage and sing, "How Great Thou Art," with them. Wow, can those guys sing! We were very thankful for such an established group to give such an opportunity. They truly are a classy group of guys!
The second concert I'm speaking of was our opportunity to open for Brad's "alma mater," Truth, also in November of 1997. This was also a huge honor for us! Truth was riding the tail end of their 25th anniversary tour when they passed through St. Louis and we caught up with them. And because of Brad's previous relationship with Truth, this was a fun time for every member in Closer, because we've become friends with many of their members. Yet again, Truth is another classy group filled with performers more concerned about their relationship with God than their realtionship to the "stage."
The are more pictures in the Photo Gallery documenting this monumental event for us.
On March 13, Closer is going to be taking part in one of Southeast Missouri's premiere youth events in Fredricktown, Missouri called Youth Explosion `98. We are very excited about this because we are going to have an opportunity to share our music with literally thousands of youth from a four state radius (Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, and Arkansas). We are anticipating a mighty move of the Spirit during our time there. As our prayer always is, we hope people will leave changed, not because of anything we've done, but because we let the Lord work through us!
Watch for these upcoming concerts in our Concert Schedule:
We would like to thank Jim Scaggs, owner and promoter with Good Life Promotions of Jackson, Missouri, for all his support over the last few months! You have been a blessing to us! Thanks for taking your chance on a bunch of young southern gospel guys! We pray God's continued blessings on your efforts!
As for now, we thank you for taking a second from your busy schedule to feast your eyes on Closer's official newsletter. You are important to us! Please e-mail us and let us know what you think of our web site. Tell us what you want to see and ask questions, I know we've probably missed something! In the meantime, "Be imatators of God," and pray for us. God bless!
Yours in Christ,
Brad, Tim, Patrick, and Mark
Phillipians 3:12-14
